The price tag on online MBA programs now spans a wide range, with top-tier offerings rivaling the cost of some full-time degrees as schools invest in premium experiences and brand value.
When online MBA programs first began to scale, they were widely seen as a force for democratization. They would expand access, cut costs, and strip away the geographic and financial barriers that make full-time MBA programs out of reach for many working professionals.
In parts of the market, that promise has held. A growing number of online MBAs remain aggressively priced and broadly accessible.
At the top end, however, the economics look very different. Premium online MBA programs now regularly command six-figure tuition, rivaling or even exceeding the cost of some residential degrees.
MOST EXPENSIVE ONLINE MBA PROGRAMS FOR 2026
In Poets&Quants’ ninth annual ranking of the best online MBA programs in the U.S., nine of 61 ranked programs charged tuition of $100,000 or more. Another five are over $90,000.
Most Expensive Online MBAs From P&Q’s 2026 Ranked Programs |
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Rank |
School |
Total Tuition & FeesIn-State |
Total Tuition & FeesOut-of-State |
| 6 | Carnegie Mellon University (Tepper) | $149,088 | |
| 8 | University of Southern California, Marshall School of Business | $140,000 | |
| 12 | University of North Carolina (Kenan-Flagler) | $125,589 | |
| 20 | Rice University (Jones) | $123,228 | |
| 3 | University of Michigan (Ross) | $120,000 | $130,000 |
| 35 | Pepperdine University (Graziadio) | $109,980 | |
| 37 | Syracuse University (Whitman) | $108,810 | |
| 47 | University of California-Davis | $105,480 | |
| 45 | Southern Methodist University (Cox) | $103,640 | |
| 4 | University of Washington (Foster) | $99,000 | |
| 24 | Santa Clara University (Leavey) | $97,070 | |
| 1 | Indiana University (Kelley) | $94,944 | |
| 41 | American University (Kogod) | $93,600 | |
| 36 | University of Maryland (Smith) | $93,582 | |
Business schools are quick to point out that their online MBA programs mirror the full-time experience. The core curriculum is the same. So are the electives and, in many cases, the faculty. Most programs also build in required residencies or in-person modules, with some layering on domestic and international travel to complement online coursework.
It is no coincidence that the priciest online MBAs tend to come from the most recognizable brands. Highly ranked schools and elite institutions dominate the top end of the market.
Still, sticker price tells only part of the story. Online MBA students keep working, and keep earning, throughout the program. Those two years of continued income—paychecks that full-time students give up—can dramatically change the math. For many candidates, that opportunity cost is the real differentiator, and the key argument in favor of a big-brand online MBA.
Proof of the MBA pudding, of course, comes in the return on investment. While many online programs don’t track employment outcomes for their graduating classes like their full-time counterparts, our ranking collects some career data through our alumni survey. You can see alumni from which schools reported that their online MBAs helped them earn a pay bump, promotion, and/or progress on their career goals here.
THE CAREER VALUE OF A BIG BRAND DEGREE
The highest priced online MBA from our 2026 ranking was the Online Hybrid MBA from Carnegie Mellon University Tepper School of Business, ranked No. 6 overall. It was also the highest priced program from 2025’s ranking as well but only raised tuition by $30 for the current cycle.
For $149,088, students get a brand-name degree from Carnegie Mellon as well as a consistently strong career trajectory during and after the program. Tepper has topped our OMBA ranking two times in nine years (2018 and 2020). It also came in second in 2023 and fifth in 2024.
Meanwhile, tuition at University of Southern California Marshall School of Business (ranked No. 8 overall) is now $140,000, up 5.3% from the tuition the school reported for last year’s ranking at $132,970.
No one can argue that both schools have highly regarded business schools with full-time MBAs ranked in the top 25 in the country in P&Q’s latest composite ranking. CMU Tepper ranked No. 16 for U.S. programs while Marshall ranked No. 24.
More than half (51.7%) of Class of 2025 graduates of Tepper’s program reported that they got a promotion during the course of their online MBA or shortly after. Some 71.7% reported getting a pay raise. The school posted the fifth highest career impact scores on our 2026 ranking.
Marshall’s OMBA degree, meanwhile, had the eighth highest career impact with 58.8% reporting a pay bump and more than a third reporting a promotion.
TOP 10 GEMS UNDER $100K
For the cost-conscious shopper, there are several bargains to be found in the OMBA market, even in the top 10 ranked programs – seven of which come in under $100,000.
This includes the top two programs in our 2026 ranking . The Kelley Direct Online MBA at Indiana University (ranked No. 1 for the fourth time) costs $94,944, the same as last ranking cycle. University of Texas at Dallas (Jindal) (ranked No. 2) costs just $58,198 for Texas residents. (Out-of-state residents will pay $95,697).
The least expensive top ten online MBA offering is from Auburn University’s Harbert College of Business (No. 7 overall) at a disruptive $39,250. Jack Welch Management Institute (No. 9) costs $47,450.
Tuition & Fees At P&Q’s Ranked Online MBAs For 2026 |
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Rank |
School |
Total Tuition & FeesIn-State |
Total Tuition & FeesOut-of-State |
| 1 | Indiana University (Kelley) | $94,944 | |
| 2 | University of Texas at Dallas (Jindal) | $58,198 | $95,697 |
| 3 | University of Michigan (Ross) | $120,000 | $130,000 |
| 4 | University of Washington (Foster) | $99,000 | |
| 5 | Hofstra University (Zarb) | $65,390 | |
| 6 | Carnegie Mellon University (Tepper) | $149,088 | |
| 7 | Auburn University (Harbert) | $39,250 | |
| 8 | University of Southern California, Marshall School of Business | $140,000 | |
| 9 | Jack Welch Management Institute | $47,450 | |
| 10 | University of Florida (Warrington) | $49,204 (One-Year) – $59,807.52 (Two-Year) | |
ONLINE MBAS UNDER $30K
For the true bargain shoppers, the cost of an online degree (in some cases) is a reflection of the kind of experience a student may want.
In other words: You get an online education with fewer bells and whistles. Rogers State University (No. 44 overall) actually dropped the price of its OMBA from $10,880 for 2024’s ranking to $9.879 for the last two years. It is 100% asynchronous with no live classes, virtual or otherwise. But, it doesn’t offer a capstone consulting project, international trips, or student clubs or organizations.
Eleven schools from the 2026 ranking offer online MBA degrees for less than $30K. That includes the No. 19-ranked Bryant University at $23,805.
Least Expensive Online MBAs |
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Rank |
School |
Total Tuition & FeesIn-State |
Total Tuition & FeesOut-of-State |
| 44 | Rogers State University | $9,879 | |
| 59 | University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (Rollins) | $11,586 | |
| 42 | Longwood University | $13,950 | |
| 46 | University of Massachusetts Lowell (Manning) | $19,650 | |
| 19 | Bryant University | $23,805 | |
| 53 | SUNY Oswego | $24,310 | $28,882 |
| 61 | University of North Texas (Ryan) | $24,470 | |
| 31 | University of Cincinnati (Lindner) | $25,112 | |
| 60 | Kennesaw State University (Coles) | $25,210 | |
| 48 | Mississippi State University | $25,650 | |
| 30 | Texas Tech University (Rawls) | $27,333 | |
| 18 | University of Wisconsin MBA Consortium | $31,500 | |
| 40 | San Jose State University (Lucas) | $33,646 | |
| 26 | University of Iowa (Tippie) | $34,000 | |
| 33 | University of Nebraska-Lincoln | $34,080 | |
| 50 | Creighton University (Heider) | $36,520 | |
| 43 | Ohio University | $36,980 | |
| 21 | University of Massachusetts at Amherst (Isenberg) | $37,262 | |
| 7 | Auburn University (Harbert) | $39,250 | |
NEXT PAGE: Total tuition and fees at all the schools in our 2026 ranking.